RCA Amplified Ultra-Thin HDTV Antenna ANT3ME Review

Our Verdict

An average amplified antenna with above-boilerplate convenience features and a competitive cost.

For

Helpful broadcast mapl app
Bespeak strength LEDs

Against

Cannot detach amplifier

Tom's Guide Verdict

An average amplified antenna with above-average convenience features and a competitive price.

Pros

+
Helpful broadcast mapl app
+
Signal strength LEDs

Cons

-
Cannot detach amplifier

On its flat rectangular surface, the $40 RCA ANT3ME looks like any number of other indoor models from our best TV antennas list. Withal, the amplified TV antenna boasts a 65-mile range and offers several advanced features that should make it easier for cord-cutting neophytes to become into the broadcast Goggle box game.

RCA ANT3ME Specs

Range: 65 Miles
Channels Received: 33
Amplified: Aye
1080p Reception: Yep
Cable Length: 12 Feet
Size: 12.5 x thirteen.2 inches

The antenna's built-in signal amplifier includes a indicate forcefulness meter, with piece of cake-to-read LED indicators and a free smartphone app that tells you where the major stations and towers are in your area. The whole package performs reasonably well and is priced comparably to, or even less than, much of the amplified competition, including the recently reviewed $80 Antop HD Smart Antenna SBS-301 and the Editor's Choice Mohu Curve 50 (although the Curve 50 pulled in many more than stations in our tests).

Pattern

Like scores of other indoor antennas, this RCA-branded model has a flat, plastic, rectangular design. Measuring 12.five x 13.2 inches, it tin exist tacked onto a wall or stuck to a window (stickers included), and comes with a 12-pes cable for flexible positioning. With 1 white and one black side, the antenna can be flipped to make it every bit inconspicuous as possible given your dwelling décor.

RCA Amplified Ultra-Thin HDTV Antenna ANT3ME — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The RCA ANT3ME is also, similar nigh, a so-called 360-degree, multidirectional antenna (too known every bit omnidirectional). So y'all don't need to signal it, per se, at a particular belfry. Information technology does, however, have a built-in betoken strength meter, and finding the ideal spot for an optimal signal is easy cheers to a quintet of indicator LEDs that bear witness a range from weak to strong.

To assist selection up stations, especially in suburban areas where signals may be weaker, the antenna includes an amplifier that the manufacturer says has an LTE filter to help block interference from prison cell towers. The two-stage amp has a preamp on the base attachment of the antenna and an inline amp that'southward virtually the size of a pack of mucilage with LED signal strength indicators. The cables to the antenna and the amp are permanently fastened, so y'all can't replace them if they wear out or Fluffy chews through them.

Setup

The RCA antenna includes an easy-to-follow setup canvas that walks you through the process of getting the free indicate app, plugging in the antenna and scanning for stations. For concrete placement, in that location are two 3M sticky pads included if you desire to plaster the antenna to a wall or a window. A couple of tiny holes in the flat plastic antenna tin can accommodate thumbtacks — not included — if you desire to stick it to a wooden bankroll.

The gratis RCA Bespeak Finder app (iOS and Android) uses your GPS location to testify y'all nearby circulate towers and the associated stations transmitting from those towers. (Antennaweb.org too provides a listing of local broadcast stations only relies on ZIP code information rather than your GPS location.) It does not actually sense the signals and their strength from where you are standing. Then while advisory, it'southward non an indication of what you might ultimately be able to watch.

For case, during our setup the Android app indicated 13 stations were available, merely at that place are over lxx within our purview. On the other mitt, it was handy to note where some channels were coming from — such equally the fact that the ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC stations are all based on a belfry to the south of us — but that turned out not to be predictive of what nosotros could receive. (We still couldn't tune in the CBS channel.)

Furthermore, because the RCA ANT3ME is an omnidirectional antenna, there'south no need to point information technology at a belfry indicated on the map. What is more helpful for actual reception are the v LED indicators on the fastened small-scale amplifier. Although we nevertheless used our standard examination position (to ensure that our benchmarks are comparable), you tin can apply the LEDs to brand sure the antenna is getting the maximum signal strength in your expanse by trying different spots (on a window, say, versus a nearby wall).

Information technology turned out that our exam location lit up all v of the RCA ANT3ME's LEDs, indicating that we had maximum signal strength.

Performance

In betoken reception tests, the RCA antenna did well enough. With a full strength indicate, it got reception numbers as good equally many other antennas costing the same or more than. Initial scans from our standard urban test location returned a total of 39 stations. However, not all of those stations were watchable.

We ever spend fourth dimension viewing each station to assess its reliability and quality. After doing so we found that only 33 channels were clear and consequent, which is par for the class. Several other amplified antennas deliver like performance, such as the Antop SBS-301, which pulled in 31 watchable stations. Yet, our Editor'southward Choice, the Mohu Curve 50, pulled in more than 50 watchable stations. Just readers should annotation that those results occurred before the FCC began reassigning approximately 1,000 stations to new frequencies across the country. The FCC move is the result of all-around 5G wireless systems that are using frequencies in the 700-MHz band.

The local Fox and NBC affiliates tuned in without a problem, which is typical in this area, as did popular Spanish language networks like Telemundo. And using the Samsung KS9000's tuner revealed that we could savour plenty of retro nostalgia stations, as well, like MeTV with The Waltons and Dust with its old westerns. Only if y'all don't remember who Mrs. Beasley was on Family unit Thing, you may observe the RCA ANT3ME antenna lacking.

For example, two major stations, the nearby CBS and PBS affiliates, could non be tuned in. Somewhat accordingly, the Couples Court program on a midband aqueduct was as well broken upwardly to picket, and Court Goggle box had similar picture problems. So six stations in all turned out to be unwatchable, bringing the actual full of tuned-in channels to 33. That'south a reasonable merely not outstanding result in our New York metropolitan examination area.

Verdict

The RCA ANT3ME offers a reasonable balance of price and functioning. Information technology has some helpful features, such as the point finder and LED signal force indicators, for beginners as well.

Information technology also does also as other amplified antennas, such as the Antop Hard disk Smart Antenna SBS-301, which costs twice as much. However, the Mohu Curve fifty remains our Editor's Choice as the best amplified indoor antenna due to it's significantly better performance.

But y'all may not need an amplifier where y'all live; the Mohu Leaf Metro did almost equally well in testing without the ability boost, for example. The RCA ANT3ME may have likewise done well without the distension, but y'all don't take a choice considering it is permanently attached to the antenna.

John R. Quain has been reviewing and testing video and audio equipment for more than than xx years. For Tom'due south Guide, he has reviewed televisions, HDTV antennas, electric bikes, electric cars, besides as other outdoor equipment. He is currently a contributor to The New York Times and the CBS News idiot box program.